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The U.S. Senate has passed legislation that seeks to improve newborn screening for 29 disorders, including hearing loss. The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to consider similar legislation early next year.
The Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act, S. 1858, was introduced by Senators Dodd (D-CT), Hatch (R-UT), Clinton (D-NY), and Kennedy (D-MA). It would educate parents and healthcare providers about newborn health screening, improve follow-up care for infants who fail a screening, and authorize funding for states to expand their newborn screening programs. It would provide grants and incentives to states to help implement screening of all 29 disorders recommended by the Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders in Newborns and Children. Hearing is one of the disorders for which most states require a hearing screening.
ASHA is working to ensure that bills like the Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act and the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act (EHDI) become law. EHDI is legislation that is specifically directed to improving newborn hearing screening and treatment programs. Without newborn hearing screenings, hearing loss is often not detected until the child is 2 or 3 years old. When detection is delayed, children often have delayed speech and language development. With hearing screenings, children can be fitted with hearing aids when they are only a few months old and receive early intervention services.
For further information, please contact Elizabeth Mundinger, ASHA's Director of Federal and Political Advocacy, via e-mail at emundinger@asha.org or by phone at 800-498-2071, extension 5610.
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